"So Proudly We Hail!" chronicles the services of a group of nurses in WWII as they travel with the United States Army through a series of famous defeats. Claudette Colbert plays the head nurse, while large supporting roles go to Paulette Goddard and Veronica Lake, memorably playing against type. It came out in 1943, so it doubled both as entertainment and as propaganda for the war effort. But despite that, it strives for a more realistic and restrained tone, and it doesn't shy away from the brutal horrors of war. An obligatory love story anchors the film and really just slows it down as far as I'm concerned, but that was a convention of the time.
"So Proudly We Hail!" brought Goddard her only career Oscar nomination in the Supporting Actress category. It's a large role; her screen time probably equals Colbert's, who's billed as the lead. But it's not surprising she was pushed in the supporting category. The film was also nominated for its original screenplay, black and white cinematography (courtesy of many-times nominated Charles Lang), and its special effects, put to the service of several battle scenes.
Grade: B+
"So Proudly We Hail!" brought Goddard her only career Oscar nomination in the Supporting Actress category. It's a large role; her screen time probably equals Colbert's, who's billed as the lead. But it's not surprising she was pushed in the supporting category. The film was also nominated for its original screenplay, black and white cinematography (courtesy of many-times nominated Charles Lang), and its special effects, put to the service of several battle scenes.
Grade: B+